Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[Taxus4a]

Well, before last Tour when he was ****tyesque he said he pulled recordtimes in training if I am not mistaken. Downplaying your own chanses for less pressure is not that uncommon overall.

He use to say those things when he is not so strong or when he nees the expectation with him, becouse he is not the big favourite. Anyway, I think Contador has improved in this kind of things

 

[ILovecycling]

I dont know if there is and advantage or not, but he is always that way...even when he won in his glorious years of 2009, 2010,.. with an insultant difference, the day before he was always understimating his chances or talking about some problems...

Maybe is a question of: guauuu, Contador was ill and he is able to win, how big he is... or maybe is a question of his rivals to take him less into account, or to have a good excuse to quite if he has some small problem on the Vuelta, I dont Know, but he use to do that.

The important thing is - this is no 2008 anymore.These are freakin Froome n Quintana.Back then there were only attack-inept Leipheimer and clinic Ricco who couldnt tt.
The thing is win his eight gt,not to be in Top5, he is no vdb2 and we know that.

 

[The Hitch]

I don't know, ask him, he always does it. Give me one interview where he says he's the big favorite to win a race.

If i should guess, that way the public won't expect anything from him and there's still an element of surprise if he performs.

I think there's a difference between being humble when you are on form and saying others are favourites, and straight up playing deception by misrepresenting an injury.

He underplays his chances because he's not the kind of guy who will stare the camera in the eye and say something like "im the best cyclist in the game. When you try me with a sorry rider like Froome, that's the result you gonna get. Don't you ever talk about me"

He prefers to say- yeah whatshisface is good too. But I thibk it's because he's humble, not because he thinks the other riders will go - oh contador says he's not sure who will win, we can relax in that case.

There's nothing humble about overplaying an injury though.

 

[Taxus4a]

The important thing is - this is no 2008 anymore.These are freakin Froome n Quintana.Back then there were only attack-inept Leipheimer and clinic Ricco who couldnt tt.
The thing is win his eight gt,not to be in Top5, he is no vdb2 and we know that.

The thing is that he didnt finish any GT this year, he is spanish and he can ride La Vuelta in a good condition and it is not a question if he is in the best condition posible, becouse after to ride Le Tour how he pretended, it is not maybe the best way.

As well Nibali told last year he was producing more watios in the Giro than in the Vuelta,.. so, the best way is like Horner last year, fresh, with some races in altitude in USA, but not everybody is going to be in the best condition. If Quintana or Froome, or Horner, or Uran or Talansky, or any other one beat him, maybe they are better.

Contador rode last year TdF, and a lot of riders were stronger, he must ride, not only if he is going to win for sure. He get 3 millions a year to ride if he can ride. If he can train in a normal way for more than a week, that musnt be a problem. Of course, the ideal way would be to ride Vuelta a Burgos, and he is not ready for that, but he has rode almost half a TdF, so that is not so important.

Anyway, he wanst the strong two years ago and he won the race. For me, there isnt any reason to think that Contador is not going to be in the same condition or even better in the hard Ancares (Pan do Zarco)

 

[ILovecycling]

The thing is that he didnt finish any GT this year, he is spanish and he can ride La Vuelta in a good condition and it is not a question if he is in the best condition posible, becouse after to ride Le Tour how he pretended, it is not maybe the best way.

As well Nibali told last year he was producing more watios in the Giro than in the Vuelta,.. so, the best way is like Horner last year, fresh, with some races in altitude in USA, but not everybody is going to be in the best condition. If Quintana or Froome, or Horner, or Uran or Talansky, or any other one beat him, maybe they are better.

Contador rode last year TdF, and a lot of riders were stronger, he must ride, not only if he is going to win for sure. He get 3 millions a year to ride if he can ride. If he can train in a normal way for more than a week, that musnt be a problem. Of course, the ideal way would be to ride Vuelta a Burgos, and he is not ready for that, but he has rode almost half a TdF, so that is not so important.

Anyway, he wanst the strong two years ago and he won the race. For me, there isnt any reason to think that Contador is not going to be in the same condition or even better in the hard Ancares (Pan do Zarco)

Good post.It will be tough cuz stage 6 is early in the race,and there can be differences.
Its also the key to hold Froome and Nairo wheel in the first week,he can gain confidence like this.

 

[Walkman]

So first of all, my post was all about the period post Tour 2010 so you don't make any sense.

You wrote:

..the guy will never have a GT handed to him..

It implies that he never has, nor never will, have a GT handed to him, hence my response, since in my mind, and probably in most fans mind, he has been gifted a Tour on a silver plate like no other in recent years.

In 2007 Leipheimer never worked for Contador, apart from Aubisque, he was supposed to be the leader at the start in London but Contador just proved he was better throughout the race.

If Levi was riding on his own he could have done mountain time trials with Evans and thus reduced the loss to Contador and Rasmussen. Then he could probably have gained 10-20 seconds more on stage 16 on Contador.

Same at the Vuelta 2008, Leipheimer only worked for him on the Angliru, and Alberto was much stronger that day anyway.

From what I remember it was more than just the Angliru. And I still maintain my opinion.

Basso Vino Ullrich didn't have the level to compete anymore, it's not Alberto 's fault. And he has proved to be a better climber.

Basso didn't have the level to compete in 2007?!

Yeah, sure. He was freaking RoboBasso back then. Dominated the Giro and won by 10+ minutes in 2006. If anything, he was entering his prime during tis time. Heck, didn't Basso climbed faster in 2010 than Contador did in 2011?

(Can't fin AC's time. Basso did it in 40:42)
http://www.climbing-records.com/2014/05/the-colombians-fastest-on-zoncolan.html

Vino won the Vuelta 2006 and was right in his prime and Ullrich was supposedly "better than ever" in 2006. I don't really know what level Ullrich had in 2006 but either way, a route with 100+ km of TT was in his favor.

 

[BlurryVII]

@Walkman

Vino never proved anything during the Tour 2007, even with his crash, he just didn't have the level to compete with Contador on the mountains.
He's never been as good as Contador as a stage racer, that's for sure, even in his prime. Same for Basso.

How can you compare the Zoncolan time with Basso 2010? Contador just followed Nibali's wheel, and wasn't having his greatest day either.
And what's your point? Contador would litterally crush Basso at his 2010 Giro lvl just seeing his Etna and Grossglockner (440 watts ave.) performances .
Just stop the comparisons, Contador wins it hands down against Basso without going into details.

When I say the Tour was handed to Wiggo and Nibali I mean it wasn't fought at ALL. Froome literally gifted Wiggins the Tour 2012, because he lost time 1 min or so in the early flat stages. Nibali won this year against pretty much nobody, all of his main opponents crashed out. It was just meant to be. Nibali was destined to get the triple crown, even Anton abondoned at the Vuelta 10' when he was strongest in the mountains and had the leader's jersey.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

@Walkman

Vino never proved anything during the Tour 2007, even with his crash, he just didn't have the level to compete with Contador on the mountains.
He's never been as good as Contador as a stage racer, that's for sure, even in his prime. Same for Basso.

How can you compare the Zoncolan time with Basso 2010? Contador just followed Nibali's wheel, and wasn't having his greatest day either.
And what's your point? Contador would litterally crush Basso at his 2010 Giro lvl just seeing his Etna and Grossglockner (440 watts ave.) performances .
Just stop the comparisons, Contador wins it hands down against Basso without going into details.

When I say the Tour was handed to Wiggo and Nibali I mean it wasn't fought at ALL. Froome literally gifted Wiggins the Tour 2012, because he lost time 1 min or so in the early flat stages. Nibali won this year against pretty much nobody, all of his main opponents crashed out. It was just meant to be. Nibali was destined to get the triple crown, even Anton abondoned at the Vuelta 10' when he was strongest in the mountains and had the leader's jersey.

basso 06 was on par with AC at the very least

 

[BlurryVII]

basso 06 was on par with AC at the very least

What? Certainly not. You think he'd match Contador in his prime (2009 Tour) ? Neither in climbing nor in TT.

Who was 2nd in Giro 06'? Guttierez, and then Simoni.
Casar in the Top 10 Nothing else to add really

 

[Miburo]

basso 06 was on par with AC at the very least

RoboBasso was for sure better than Contador and that comes from a contador fan

I'm still sure that he could have won that giro with 30 min lol

Blury man, you prob didn't see the giro '06, otherwise you're just blind. Basso was never breathing in the MTF's. Riding at 85% lol

 

[ILovecycling]

basso 06 was on par with AC at the very least

lol

10ch

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

What? Certainly not. You think he'd match Contador in his prime (2009 Tour) ? Neither in climbing nor in TT.

Who was 2nd in Giro 06'? Guttierez, and then Simoni.
Casar in the Top 10 Nothing else to add really

Brilliant logic. His opposition wasn't that great (which Gutierrez and Simoni was btw ) therfore I deside that he wasn't that great either. His climbing was on par with AC 09

 

[BlurryVII]

RoboBasso was for sure better than Contador and that comes from a contador fan

I'm still sure that he could have won that giro with 30 min lol

Blury man, you prob didn't see the giro '06, otherwise you're just blind. Basso was never breathing in the MTF's. Riding at 85% lol

Missed the Giro 06'. For sure I'd love to see him ride away from Contador in his prime And then beat him in TT

Brilliant logic. His opposition wasn't that great (which Gutierrez and Simoni was btw ) therfore I deside that he wasn't that great either. His climbing was on par with AC 09

I don't know about his power output so I couldn't say. He was never that great in TT, so he doesn't really match Contador

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Missed the Giro 06'. For sure I'd love to see him ride away from Contador in his prime And then beat him in TT



I don't know about his power output so I couldn't say. He was never that great in TT, so he doesn't really match Contador

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=3699

 

[BlurryVII]

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=3699

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/resultats/CyclismeResultat2021_7705_ETAPE.html


Now would you show up all of Basso's TT results?
He is an average TT'er.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/resultats/CyclismeResultat2021_7705_ETAPE.html


Now would you show up all of Basso's TT results?
He is an average TT'er.

Not in 06...!!!!
And I am fully aware that AC won the tour tt. But your argument seems to be that he would take lots of time on Basso in the tt prime vs prime and that wouldn't be the case (especially not in the tour 07)

 

[BlurryVII]

Not in 06...!!!!
And I am fully aware that AC won the tour tt. But your argument seems to be that he would take lots of time on Basso in the tt prime vs prime and that wouldn't be the case (especially not in the tour 07)

Yeah, back to the Tour 07. Basso's prime was 06, not 07 though
Nothing indicates he would've been at the same lvl, especially considering the clinic stuff. He was under pressure.

 

[Miburo]

Why is this a discussion? The guy didn't see Basso in '06 thus everything he says is invalid.

 

[BlurryVII]

Why is this a discussion? The guy didn't see Basso in '06 thus everything he says is invalid.

You saw him, good for you. Couldn't watch the Giro that year, however I don't have any power data that would indicate he was as good as AC 09'.
You won't be able to judge visually, if he's better or not.

Anyway the point was Basso woud've probably beaten AC in 07' which is utter crap . We talking 07', not 06'. As I said, nothing indicates he would've showed up at the same lvl a year later.
If you don't know where the discussion began, then what you say is quite irrelevant as well.

 

[phanatic]

What? Certainly not. You think he'd match Contador in his prime (2009 Tour) ? Neither in climbing nor in TT.

Who was 2nd in Giro 06'? Guttierez, and then Simoni.
Casar in the Top 10 Nothing else to add really

How could anybody doubt RoboBasso? Prima facie insanity. Casar was top ten in both those races. Case closed.

 

[ILovecycling]

Why is this a discussion? The guy didn't see Basso in '06 thus everything he says is invalid.

I saw him,he was impressive,but lack of competition and his stone face (menchov,quintana like) makes overhyped expression.
He would have been worse than AC 2011 for sure,maybe not by a big margin,but still.Where are his watt,vam records...

 

[roundabout]

I saw him,he was impressive,but lack of competition and his stone face (menchov,quintana like) makes overhyped expression.
He would have been worse than AC 2011 for sure,maybe not by a big margin,but still.Where are his watt,vam records...

https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/308883516173713408

 

[ILovecycling]

https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/308883516173713408

Thank you a lot,really interesting,I've never seen these numbers.Still worse than berto tho (and that was maybe a clinic-Basso)

 

[roundabout]

Au contraire. That Monte Bondone climb was one of the greatest performances of the last 15 years.

 

[Carols]

Posted on FB:

20 days after my crash in the Tour, I downloaded the file and could see the exact speed of the fall, 76,8 km/h!!!